Cowboys Not Bowling Over Greg Hardy
March 17th, 2015
Yes, Joe is aware this is a Bucs site. So why is Joe posting a Cowboys item here?
Because Bucs fans wan Greg Hardy to replace ghostly Michael Johnson at right defensive end, an overwhelming majority wants this. Joe’s poll last week proved it.
Given the keen interest locally in Hardy, Joe feels compelled to update readers on Hardy happenings.
Yesterday, Joe brought word the Cowboys were pursuing Hardy. Bucs fans can rest easy, however, if what Drew Davison of the Dallas Morning News types is accurate. Jerry Jones isn’t exactly throwing wads of cash at Hardy.
Because of that domestic violence incident, there is a chance the NFL could suspend Hardy for six games in 2015.
That’s why the Cowboys are taking their time in pursuing Hardy. They are only interested in him on a team-friendly deal, similar to that of linebacker Rolando McClain last season.
Team-friendly, huh? In common-speak, this means “cheap.” And if the Cowboys are trying to lowball him, then a team making a reasonable offer to Hardy would put the Cowboys in his rearview mirror.
March 17th, 2015 at 5:31 am
I wish the league would make a ruling already…If we can get Hardy for a reasonable amount then I’m all for it…
March 17th, 2015 at 5:42 am
The only off season move i wanted to make. Cmon licht!!!!!!
March 17th, 2015 at 5:48 am
After the way they treated AP, and then the way the evidence stacked up against ray Rice…how can the league NOT hit Hardy with a 6 game suspension?
…didn’t they made these rules!?
March 17th, 2015 at 6:04 am
Wasn’t he already suspended last year for 15 games? Albeit with pay. Isn’t this almost like double jeopardy? Maybe your boys Dolman or Metcalf can answer.
March 17th, 2015 at 6:10 am
Sign him to at least 3 years and absorb the possible 6 games. Nobody is under the illusion that we are a playoff team next year but maybe the year after…
March 17th, 2015 at 6:43 am
Pay the man for Pete sake and make him a Buc.
Invest in him and get him help if neccesary – rebuild his image if required.
Unless the NFL community knows more about this situation than we do.
March 17th, 2015 at 6:59 am
Just over pay the man and make him a Buccaneer now (we all know that’s what it will take to get him here anyway). He won’t get suspended the whole year, worst case scenario is probably 8 games and a fine. My thing is, what does it matter if he gets suspended or not. Doesn’t it save the Glazers money if he is suspended? They don’t pay him while suspended right?
March 17th, 2015 at 7:03 am
Why haven’t the Bucs brought him in for a workout? I guess we have too many good defensive ends on our roster.
March 17th, 2015 at 7:26 am
If the Bucs are seriously considering Winston, they may be reluctant to bring in Hardy also for fear they will be opening up the floodgates to criticism from the “character club”…..not saying I agree….just saying this may be a concern.
March 17th, 2015 at 7:31 am
L & L are being very cautious this season. They appear a little gun shy and i cant blame them because of the backlash they had to deal with, but Im getting tired of seeing quality players signing elsewhere. Gotta put last years dumpster fire in the rear view mirror and go get the right players.
March 17th, 2015 at 7:34 am
So what’s up regarding Hardy – King Goodell? What is your decree? Why the delay? Make a decision already. Teams and the player need to know what the almighty’s judgement is. What’s the hold up? You still too busy trying to get to the bottom of deflategate?
March 17th, 2015 at 7:37 am
Chances are he’ll get suspended anyway and he’s been a really good player but no need to act more desperate than the rest of the nfl bucs damn it’s getting sad to listen to you all piss and moan about guy. I mean seriously we weren’t dead last in sacks last year
March 17th, 2015 at 7:46 am
I’m looking for clarification.
If a player is suspended I was under the impression that the team was not required to pay the suspended player. It seems my understanding may be incorrect since nobody wants to sign Hardy until a suspension is confirmed or denied. I seem to remember teams seeking signing bonus money from players who got suspended. Is this a financial issue, or a roster position issue? I’m leaning towards the latter unless someone can clarify.
March 17th, 2015 at 7:47 am
Screw the league. Here’s the offer I would make:
First year, pay per game played with a signing bonus of 1 mill to help him get settled. Pay him $200,000 per game played in the first year. If he only plays 10 games (and is suspended 6 games) he gets a total of $3,000,000 in year one. That is more than fair.
Second year, give him $6m with incentives driven by sack totals, games played and keeping it clean off the field.
Third year, team has the option to cut him without penalty, but to keep him, gives him $3m three days after start of league year, plus salary of $8m per year.
Forth year option at $10m per year. Keep behavior incentives.
That gives him a long term, team friendly deal and pays him well.
March 17th, 2015 at 7:50 am
@Bill
It depends on the type of suspension and the contract. I believe the “Commissioner’s Exempt List” is a suspension with pay, but not sure.
How the salary cap is affected is handled differently as well. For example, IF a team pays a player, it may or may not count against the cap. I’m not sure.
March 17th, 2015 at 7:57 am
@Bonzai,
The recently popular exempt list is largely why I ask, because a big part of that was the players were suspended “with” pay. It insinuates that normal suspension would indicate “no pay”, which I thought was traditionally the case. So Hardy’s contract should not be effected by a potential suspension because the team wouldn’t pay for the suspended period.
I’m a bit confused.
March 17th, 2015 at 8:01 am
bucs4lyfe Says
“Chances are he’ll get suspended anyway and he’s been a really good player but no need to act more desperate than the rest of the nfl bucs damn it’s getting sad to listen to you all piss and moan about guy. I mean seriously we weren’t dead last in sacks last year”
I don’t think you’re viewing the whole picture, buddy.
Consider this. The Buccaneers have Gerald McCoy, who is growing older. We’ve never had good talent around him…so far we have wasted his talent. So we must get talent around him as soon as possible. To me, this is more important than the offensive line because McCoy’s clock is already clicking and the new offensive line will need a couple years of development.
That said…we also need the offensive line to be addressed. There is absolutely no way we can address QB, OL AND DE in the draft, and do it effectively. The talent just isn’t there in the later rounds.
Because we would need the DE to pay off sooner (because of McCoy) that means we would need to trade back into the first round to get one of the top DEs, sacrificing our 2nd and 3rd round picks.
That would result in not getting OL until round 4 or later, making whoever we took a developmental project who would not be start ready for AT LEAST a year, maybe longer.
That is why we need Greg Hardy. Getting him prevents the sacrifice of the offensive line, and there are no other options out there of the same caliber.
We also need Center Stefen Wisniewski, who is amazingly still out there (the last I heard). Getting him would kill two birds with one stone, as we could move EDS to guard as a result…leaving only the need of tackle on the offensive line.
March 17th, 2015 at 8:01 am
Team is required to still pay I believe…that money is than donated to a league approved charity. So doesnt save team money if he is suspended, the player just doesnt get…but the player is still allowed to use that money as a tax deduction.
March 17th, 2015 at 8:02 am
It’s a pebble in a pond. Sign Hardy, and the waves radiate outward, allowing us to improve the team everywhere else.
March 17th, 2015 at 8:03 am
Like I said yesterday, the Cowboys are having cap problems. They didn’t have enough room to sign Denarcus Murray so it is doubtful they can ink one of the better DE’s in the league.
March 17th, 2015 at 8:07 am
@bucman,
You don’t sound too sure of that, lol, but it would make sense.
March 17th, 2015 at 8:09 am
Strange how Bucs would possibly take a chance on Shameis (the next tenant for the Orient Street Hotel) and his off the field antics and not yet proven ability to play in the NFL, but maybe not going for a proven NFL player who has a domestic violence charge. Show me the dam logic behind this!
March 17th, 2015 at 8:13 am
Im pretty confident we’ll get him. He knows Tampa is on their way to turning things around and he’ll get the best offer from us.
March 17th, 2015 at 8:16 am
@Bonzai,
You actually paint a pretty bright picture for the Bucs future. Going into the draft we need QB, DE, and OL. I optimistically ask, is that all?
We’re gonna draft a QB and have a high 2nd rounder….that’s 2 of the 3. I acknowledge “OL” might be multiple players. I think the draft plan is coming together.
March 17th, 2015 at 8:21 am
82,
Hardy was found guilty by a judge, he paid off the victim in the appeal process. Winston has never been found guilty. That’s a notable difference in the two situations.
March 17th, 2015 at 8:24 am
@BuccaneerBonzai
I think your over exaggerating…. He’s not a quarterback and the whole league isn’t tripping over this guy trying to sign him just bucs fans. It means something when Jerry Jones hesitant because if money and he should have been signed by now so what’s the issue? Either he scares teams away or wants more teams are willing to pay. What the hell does the offensive line have to do with it. McCoy is getting older but getting paid for services, one person on defense doesn’t do it. People say we’re two years away from being relevant so doesn’t really matter
March 17th, 2015 at 8:36 am
I would love for the Bucs to sign Hardy. I just don’t see it. I don’t think the Glazer bros would go for it, and I don’t think Lovie would either. You guys are setting yourselves up to be disappointed
March 17th, 2015 at 8:38 am
@Bill
And MLB.
If I could have all things I want…ALL things…this is what I would get…
Sign Greg Hardy at Defensive End
Sign Stefen Wisniewski at Center
Move EDS to Guard
Draft Winston in round 1 (what???! Did I say that??? Yes, I did)
Draft a Tackle in round 2
Draft Eric Kendrick at Middle Linebacker by trading back into round 2 (sacrificing our 4th rounder)
Draft Nick O’Leary (TE) to play Halfback in round 5 (he also played with Winston; good blocker and good natural hands)
Draft a punter in round six
If it plays out like that, I believe we could fix most of the issues very quickly, and get use out of the first 4 picks of the draft in the first year…which is pretty good.
March 17th, 2015 at 8:39 am
QB @ 1
DE or OL (BPA) @ 2
BPA for the rest of the draft
I’m starting to think we’re in pretty good shape. I think S is still a possible draft move despite the Conte signing. Next year will be the learning year for Winston or MM. We have 2 years to fill the holes. I like where we’re at.
March 17th, 2015 at 8:42 am
bucs4lyfe Says:
March 17th, 2015 at 8:24 am
“@BuccaneerBonzai
What the hell does the offensive line have to do with it.”
This is why I said you are not seeing the big picture, and I don’t mean this as an insult. Every need we go into the draft with means one less need will be addressed, because, at best, we can hope the first 4 picks will work out, and usually teams are lucky if the first 2-3 picks work out.
Given the availability of talent in this draft and the team needs, the best thing we can do is address DE and Center before the draft. This would allow us to address more things in the draft.
If we go into the draft needing DE, it will mean sacrificing an early OT, because the DE will be the greater need.
March 17th, 2015 at 8:42 am
It’s not exaggeration, it’s simple logic.
March 17th, 2015 at 8:42 am
Hardy will not take a contract saying behave be a good boy. His agent is drew rosenhaus. They are already scamming saying raiders are interested to drive up offers. He will want at least 8 mil a year.much rather the bucs use the money to extend LVD. I know his play is worth it, just have problem with his actions and his sleazy agent. He would look good next to 93.. ..just wish to see or hear some kind of remorse instead of making stupid instragram videos. Shows he doesn’t want to change.
March 17th, 2015 at 8:44 am
@Bill
I forgot about Safety. The truth is, we may have no choice but to wait on that one. We can only do so much this year.
March 17th, 2015 at 8:47 am
@bucs4lyfe
When I said the best thing we could do is address DE and Center before the draft, I meant because it would fix three positions…DE, Center, and Guard (by moving EDS to guard).
It would fix 3 things with 2 moves.
March 17th, 2015 at 8:48 am
@sturgis1115
He can want $10m all day long, but he’ll only get what teams are willing to offer, and so far it isn’t much.
March 17th, 2015 at 8:53 am
Greg hardy=mike Williams there is a night day difference between Winston’s situation and being first overall and hardy plus considering the fact lovie considers himself and his staff teachers, yes you guys are setting yourselves up for disappointment, I’d like him here too just don’t see it plus McCoy isn’t recruiting him lol
March 17th, 2015 at 9:05 am
We’ll have to wait and see then.
March 17th, 2015 at 10:00 am
Joe can you email your poll to everyone you know that has inside access to light and lovie? Prove to them that the fans want hardy!!
March 17th, 2015 at 11:30 am
You can’t always get what you want. The Bucs hardly ever get what the fans want.
March 17th, 2015 at 12:02 pm
Well this add is a crock of sh!t. He’s visiting Dallas today and if be doesn’t sign there he is going to Seattle. Let’s see play for two playoff caliber teams or Tampa? Hmmmm tampa better throw the kitchen sink if they have a prayer. If not here is to another 15 years of losing. Even if we have winston or mariota or Jesus christ for that matter under center… If our pash rush cannot put pressure on the quarterbacks it will be a shoot out every single game.